1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to a footpedal clip system for a bicycle including a cleat attached to a shoe that detachably mates to the pedal and particularly to a system wherein the cleat has a very small profile so that the pedal can be used comfortably with or without the cleat is desired.
2. Prior Art and Information Disclosure Statement:
Bicycling and the design of bicycles has become a hi-tech avocation in terms of features that are intended to reduce the weight, improve maneuverability, minimize injury either from accidents or from repetitive motion stress, increase the comfort of the cyclist particularly engaged in long runs.
Particular attention has been paid to the design of detachable footpedal clip systems whereby the foot is detachably mated to the pedal to prevent the foot from slipping on the pedal as the cyclist tires or when he is accelerating. The requirement is to provide enough security of the foot to the pedal to prevent slippage as described but also enable the cyclist to disengage the foot from the pedal when he desires such as when he is stopping at a crossroad or simply dismounting from the bicycle. Numerous disclosures have appeared in the patent literature.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,894 to Howell discloses a system having latch elements that project from the pedal, the latch elements having latch members that are flexible. A socket element on the sole of the cyclists shoe releasably and replacably couples with the latch element for pedalling action and releases from the latch element under non pedalling loads. The problem with this construction is that the foot is released if the cyclist lifts his foot too quickly on the return of the pedal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,686,867 to Bernard et al discloses a cleat secured to the shoe and a spring loaded cleat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,633 to Feldstein discloses a cleat with a cavity lined with diagonal skewed depressions and a member attached to the pedal that rotatingly engages the cleat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,333 to Sampson discloses a shoe cleat with two downward projections that matingly engage a springloaded member attached to the pedal.
In all of the preceding disclosures, the cleat engages the pedal on only one side of the pedal thereby preventing fast getaways since the rider must first orient the pedal in order to engage the cleat to the pedal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,942,778 to Byrne discloses a pedal system including a block with a generally convex symmetrical curved top and bottom surface which mates to a concavity in a plate attached to the rider's shoe. The pedal of this arrangement can only be used effectively when the rider is wearing the cleat.